Fly-escape screen



G. W. MITTELSTAEDT,

FL Y E'SGAPE'SCREEN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1920.

Patented May 17,- 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. -W. MITTELSTAEDT.

FLY ESCAPE scam.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 4, I920.

Patented May 17 1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

8v MK AK 6 Z2 M Z vention upper panel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. MIT'IELSTAEDT, OF MORTON GROVE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FLY ESCAPE SCREEN COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FLY-ESCAPE SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 17, 1921.

Application filed June 4, 1920. Serial No. 386,551.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MITTEL- STAEDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morton Grove, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Escape Screens, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fly escape screens, and particularly to screen doors and other screens adapted to permit the escape of flies or the like from the interior of a room.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction which may be easily and cheaply manufactured for permitting the escape of flies through screen doors or other screens, which fit within a surrounding door or similar frame.

A further object is to provide a paneled door' or screen of simple construction, adapted to permit the escape of flies or the like through a lower panel, as well as the The invention consists in the novel arrangements, combinations and constructions,

to be hereinafter described, and claimed, for

oarryingout the above stated objects, and such other objects as will appear fromthe following description.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein: t

Figure 1 is an elevation of a door or screen embodying the principles of my in- .Fig. 2 is a fragmentar vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of *ig. 1;

Fig. 3 isan enlarged elevation of the upperdportion of the screen shown in Fig. 1; an

Fig. 4. is a transverse section taken on the line 1- 101 Fig. 3. a

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation. of the central portion of the screen including the transverse panel rail r Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 6 -6 of Fig. 5;

Fi 7 is a transverse section taken on the line .7 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 represents a screen comprising side stiles 11, upper rail'12,

lower rail 13, and transverse panel rail ll. The frame members may be of any suitable material, such as wood or metal. For the purpose of illustration I have shown a frame composed of some solid material, such as recess 19 is provided in the rail abovethe channel 18 and spaced therefrom. Connecting the two channels 18 and 19 is a series of fly escape passages 20, formed in the rail, and of a size adapted to permit the passage of a fly or other insect. lower edge of the rail is another series of fly escape passages 21, which connect the channel 18 with the interior of the frame. These passages are preferably staggered with respect to the upper series of passages 20.

The transverse panel rail 14 is also preferably formed with channels 22 and 23 and fly escape passages 24 and'25, similar in construction to the corresponding channels and passages in the rail 12. If desired, the rails 12 and 13 may be duplicates. The screening in the lower panel extends tothe lower edge of the channel 23,covering the channel22 and the passages 24 and 25. The screening material in the upper panel15is secured at its lower edge to the upper margin 26 of the rail i l-and extends to the lower edge of the channel 19 in the same manner as in the lower panel 16, and covers the channel 18 and the passages 20 and 21. Suitable fastening elements 27 are used to secure the screen- Leading to the nishing ing the various panels, so as not to cast any shadow across the fly escape passages 20 and 24;. In devices of this character, flies will not pass through a shaded or dark passage or across a shaded line.

It will be noted that a gap is provided between the screening in the upper and lower panels, or between adjacent panels, in case more than two are provided, in order that the channel 23 may remain uncovered, so as not to interfere with the escape of the flies.

In this construction advantage is taken of the instinct of flies and similar insects to climb upwardly and be attracted toward. light. Accordingly flies which may be found on the interior of the screen tend to climb upwardly on the screening in the panels, and are attracted toward the light, coming through the lower series of fly escape passages 21 or 25 fromthe adjacent passage or cavity. These channels or cavities 18 and 22 are made sufliciently large relative to the size of the fly escape passages so as to admit sufficient light above the frame so that the fly escape passages will be relatively inconspicuous compared to the size of such channels or cavities. After the flies enter the lower channel of either the panel rail or the upper rail, they are attracted toward the light coming through the upper set of fly escape passages from the upper channel. These channels 19 and 23, are likewise made sufficiently large so as to admit suflicient light through the passages to attract the flies, and also that the passages will be relatively inconspicuous compared to the size of these channels. The exact configuration of the channels or cavities is otherwise immaterial, although it is preferable to design them of such a shape that no deep shadows will be formed therein and also that they may be readily cut therein by any ordinary shaper or other machine, assuming that the frame members are made of wood, or material which may be similarly worked. For the purpose of illustration, the lower channels are semi-circular in cross section, and may be easily formed in the rails by a suitable cutter on any ordinary shaper. The upper channels are shown as quadrantshaped in cross section, and may be easily cut in the rail by a suitable cutter. The fly escape passages are also preferably of simple configuration, so that they may be easily cut by hand or by machine. By utilizing channels and passages of simple configuration, so that they may be easily cut by machine, the increase in cost of manufacture of these'rails over the cost of manufacture of rails for the ordinary screen is practically negli ible.

By providing a fly escape channeI, such as channels'19 and 23, which opens on the face of the screen instead of the top edge, the construction in my former Patent No. 1,305,147, granted May 27 1919, is applied to a screen adapted to fit within a frame which entirely surrounds the edges of the screen, including the top edge, such as a door frame. This construction also permits the application of the construction of my former patent to screens having one or more panels. The upper margin 26 of the transverse panel rail provides means for attachment of the lower edge of the screening material of the next upper panel, and the gap between adjacent panels of screening material permits the escape of flies which may be found upon any lower panel. Unless the lower panel is provided with means for permitting the escape of flies found on this panel, such flies are not likely to escape even through the passages at thetop of the screen because the panel rail forms an obstruction to their travel to the top of the screen.

I claim:

1. A fly escape screen, comprising in combination a screen frame adapted to fit within a door or similar opening, the top rail of said frame having a pair of vertically spaced cavities formed in the exterior face of said rail and having passages relatively smaller than said cavities formed therein and connecting said cavities, screening material secured to the exterior of said frame and covering the lower cavity, said rail also having fly escape openings formed therein leading from the lower cavity into the interior of the screen.

2. In a screen door or the like, the combination with a frame the upper rail of which is provided in its exteriorface with a cavity and fly escape passages above and below the same, and another cavity above the upper fly escape passage adapted to admit light thereto, and screening material for said frame secured to the exterior thereof and extending over the lower cavity and said fly escape passages.

3. In a fly escape screen, the combination with a frame, of a transverse panel rail in said frame having transverse upper and lower channels formed in the exterior face thereof intermediate the adjacent edges, and fly escape passages formed therein leading from the lower edge of said rail to said lower channel, and from said lower to said upper channel, the lower panel of screening material secured across the lower panel of said frame at the exterior thereof and extending over said lower channel and said passages, and an upper panel of'screening material secured across the upper panel of the frame and to the upper margin of said transverse rail.

4. In a fly escape screen, the combinationof a frame having a transverse panel rail therein dividing the same into a plurality of panels, screening material secured over the exterior ofsaid frame and divided at leading from the interior of the screen tothe exterior at said gap.

5. A fly escape screen of the type described comprising a frame having a rail thereon formed with a pair of spaced. cavities in a vertical face thereof intermediate the edges, fly escape passages connecting said cavities and leading from one of said cavities to the interior of said screen, the other 01": said cavities being open to the exterior, and screening material covering the first named cavity and said fly escape passages.

6. In a fly escape screen of the type described comprising a frame having a rail provided in its outer face with a pair of vertically spaced cavities, fly escape passages connectinigr said cavities and other passages leading 0111 the lower cavity to the interior of said screen, said cavities and passages being open to the light and screenlng material covering said passages and said lower cavity.

GEORGE W. MITTELSTAEDT. 

